


Danno's Blue Christmas

by Horndog333



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drunkenness, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Danny, Sad Danny, Worried Steve McGarrett
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:28:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28330887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Horndog333/pseuds/Horndog333
Summary: Steve is flying to California to see Mary and Joanie. Charlie has a fever. Grace is snowed in in New Jersey. Danno is having a Blue Christmas.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 9
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Copyright Warning and Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> This story is not beta'ed as I rushed to get this out before Christmas. All mistakes are mine.

If someone had told Danny what a clusterfuck the weekend before Christmas would be, he would have buried himself under the covers and slept right on past New Year’s Day. It all started on Monday, eleven days before Christmas when Danny got a phone call from his mother. “Hey,Ma! What’s up?”

“Hi Hun,”his mother said,”I just wanted to give you a heads up that a big storm is due to hit us later this week.”

“Ooookay,” Danny answered. So what’s that have to do with me, he thought. Then, he remembered. Oh! This was about Grace. 

After narrowing down her college choices to two, Brown University and UCLA, Grace chose Brown University. UCLA didn’t quite fit her personality with its party atmosphere and spoiled rich kids. She knew she was being harsh and it wasn’t true of all the students. Call it intuition, but that was the vibe she got from the campus. Besides, Brown was in New Brunswick, New Jersey, less than an hour away from the rest of the Williams family. It was also within a stone’s throw of New York City where Will was attending NYU. She figured that it wouldn’t be such a big transition with her Nana, Pop Pop, Auntie Stella, Auntie Bridget and her cousins so close by. It also helped that Will was only a few stops away by subway. Lastly, she knew that her Danno would feel a lot more comfortable with her near family.

“Danny, there’s a chance that Grace might not be able to fly out Saturday morning.”

“Bite your tongue! She will make it home.” She has to make it home. Steve was leaving for California the night before Grace was scheduled to fly in. He needed her and Charlie to distract him from thinking about Steve, his best friend who he was deeply in love with.

He knew that his mother was the ultimate worrywart. After all, he inherited his worrying nature from her. “Ma,” Danny huffed. “You know weather forecasters. They have a 50/50 chance of being right. It’s not like meteorology is an exact science,” Danny said as he remembered one of the first Five-O cases they got - the one with fake Tsunami. “Besides, a lot could happen between now and Saturday.”

Clara shook her head. Her eldest son could be so stubborn. He either believed the worst or refused to acknowledge what was right in front of him. Case in point, the fact he and Steve being mutually in love with each other. “Ok. Just saying... How are you? All set for Christmas?”

Usually, Danny was all ready for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. He got things done early because it was his favorite holiday, but this year was different. Since December started, they had been hit with case after case. He hadn't had any time. “It’s been a crazy month so I am behind schedule. I haven’t even bought all the gifts or gotten the tree yet.”

Before he knew it, it was Friday. They were scrambling to solve a case in time for Steve to make his flight. It was close, but thanks to an anonymous tip, the case was all wrapped up in plenty of time for Steve to make his flight. Danny gave Steve a lift to the airport (or rather Steve drove there and Danny would drive home). “You sure you’ll be ok without me, Danno,” Steve asked, smiling at Danny, but his eyes showed concern.

Danny rolled his eyes. “Steven, I will be fine. Grace is due in early tomorrow morning. Rachel will be dropping off Charlie after breakfast.””

“What about the snowstorm your mom mentioned on Monday. What if Grace...”

“Ah, ah ah,” Danny waved his index finger at Steve’s face, “Do not jinx me.”

Steve frowned as pulled up to the curb in front of the airport. Danny went around to the driver’s side just as Steve was getting out. He reached down to give Danny a hug. “Ok then. I’ll see you Wednesday night.”

Danny could feel the warmth of Steve’s body through his shirt and leaned into the hug before letting go. “Call me when you get to Mary’s, ok,” Danny said. 

Steve nodded before turning around and heading into the terminal.

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Danny barely got through the door when his cell phone started ringing. 

“Danny? It’s Rachel.”

“Hi Rachel. Is everything set for tomorrow morning?”

“I’m afraid there has been a change in plans.” Danny had a bad feeling about this. “I had to pick Charlie up from school an hour or two early today. The school nurse called to tell me that he had a fever. He fell asleep on the way home and went straight to bed when we got here.”

Danny knew that his son was like the Energizer Bunny. He was moving, talking, playing nonstop until bedtime. The fact that he’d been asleep for several hours meant he was really sick.

“I’ll see how he does tonight and tomorrow. Maybe if he’s better, he can be with you on Sunday and stay overnight.”

Thanks. I’ll check in on him in a few hours. Tell him, ‘Danno loves you.”

“Of course, Danny. I’m truly sorry to have disrupted your plans.” Danny could tell she was being sincere.

“Well, things happen. Talk to you later.”

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

At least Grace was coming in tomorrow morning. Danny figured he may as well get a tree and be ready to decorate it when she arrived.

“For Fuck Sake,” Danny thought. “Does everything have to go wrong?” He didn’t dare think about Grace. The hardware store chain was sold out of all the fresh trees in all the locations throughout the Honolulu area and so were the tree lots. Danny ended up in the closest store location to his home looking for an artificial tree. He hadn’t had an artificial tree since he started as a beat cop in Newark. He found one of the only trees that was green, not over $600 and not flocked. It was nine feet tall and came pre-lit with 1200 lights. He hauled the sixty-five-inch tall eighty-pound box through his front door. The box stood at the same height was. He sat on the hardwood floor of his living room to assemble the four pieces of the tree into one tall one when his phone rang. 

“Hell-looooooo,” Danny growled into his phone. Even though he realized that it could be (and with his luck, it WAS) Grace, he just didn’t have the energy or willingness to sound calm and polite. 

“Um...hi Danno,” Grace hesitated. “I um, um, called to tell you that I am snowed in back here. The airport is shut down. The planes are grounded through at Monday morning.

“Of course, they are,” Danny mumbled as he let out the biggest sigh. He couldn’t hide his disappointment. This was the last straw.

“Danno, I’m really sorry that I can’t be there tomorrow.” Her voice shook and she sniffled.

“Oh God,” he thought. “I made her cry.”

“It’s ok, Monkey. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry I growled at you. It’s just been a really frustrating evening. I’m not mad at you. Danno loves you. You know that I always do no matter what, right?”

“Uh, huh.” She didn’t sound too convincing though. 

He was the worst father in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the funky formatting. When I italicized the song titles and lyrics, the spacing got too wide. Something about cutting and pasting from Google Docs doesn't work well.

“You Neanderthal Animal! I told you not to jinx me and talk about Grace. Now, she’s snowed-in in New Jersey! The airport’s closed and the planes are frickin’ grounded until Monday morning. The newscasters are calling it the ‘blizzard of the century.’ They have even given it a name. A GODDAMN NAME, STEVEN! They are calling it ‘Snowmagedon!’ Can you believe that shit,” Danny asked. When he was met with silence, he looked around and shook his head. “Oh my god!! You’ve finally done it! You’ve driven me insane and you’re not even here to see it! I’m ranting at you and you’re across the ocean and thousands of miles away.”

Danny thought it was time for a drink. He didn't feel like a beer, especially when Steve wasn’t there. He decided on a more traditional drink for this time of year - hot buttered rum. He went to his liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of rum. He collected all the ingredients needed for the drink along with a pot. Finally, Danny reached into a cabinet to grab a clear glass mug and nearly broke it when he slammed it onto the counter. He had no one or nowhere to direct all his anger and disappointment. He added a plateful of cookies to accommodate the rum. 

Because he hadn’t eaten in over twelve hours (when he had a malasada and a large cup of coffee), the rum had gone straight to his head and he was already buzzed. He got himself another cup. Danny plopped down on the couch in his living room, turning on the stereo and queuing up his Spotify Christmas playlist. Of course, it consisted of Christmas song covers by his favorite Jersey singers - Sinatra, Springsteen, Jonathan Bon Jovi AND he’d almost forgotten “The Jersey Boys” - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. There were some non-Jerseyans on the playlist simply because they had sung a particular song the best. For example, Elvis singing “Blue Christmas.” No one can top The King on “Blue Christmas.” Then, there was “White Christmas” and “ Mele Kalikimaka” by Bing Crosby. 

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  
  


_ Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Frank Sinatra  _

The couch was so comfortable and soft that he sunk into it. Danny raised his mug towards the stereo. “A toast to you, Mr. Sinatra!”

_ Through the years we all will be together if the fates allow... _

Danny felt melancholy, missing Chin and Kono. Although they had spent seven years together, he never thought they’d leave. Then, there was Steve. He was Danny’s best friend. There was no one to whom Danny could voice all his inner thoughts; all except one - that Danny was in love with him. Through the years, they would always be together. If the fates allowed them to be together as best friends, partners AND lovers, Danny would be one happy man. If only they could grow old together like in his dream when he was shot in quarantine, that would be his greatest wish.

  
  
  


_ Please Come Home for Christmas - Jon Bon Jovi  _

_ Bells will be ringin' the sad, sad news _

_ Oh, what a Christmas to have the blues _

_ My baby's gone, I have no friends _

_ To wish me greetings once again. _

The sad, sad news was that Danny was home alone the weekend before Christmas. Other than the artificial pre-lit Christmas tree that stood undecorated in the corner of his living room, there were no signs of the holidays. Charlie was sick so HE wasn't there. Grace was snowed-in and SHE wasn’t there. Steve was heading for Mary’s house and HE wasn’t there. Danny was all alone, wallowing in self pity, half swaying, half stumbling and sloshing his rum onto the carpet as he sang. “My baby’s gone. Steve, come back home to me.”

  
  
  


_ Excelsis Deo Medley - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons _

Danny held his head up high towards the ceiling as he howled more than he sang. “Aaaah, ahaaha, aaaah, ahaaha, aaaah, ahaaha - glorious....” Excelsis Deo never sounded so pathetic. Stumbling he ran into the coffee table. “Ow! Shit,” he cursed. Leaning and almost falling over as he put his mug down on the coffee table, he barely made it to the couch without crashing to the floor.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

STEVE’S POV:

Steve made good time getting to Mary’s house. It was about 1:00 A.M. when he pulled up in front of her house. Because Steve didn't want to wake anyone up by knocking at the door, he said he would text Mary when he got there. He figured he’d give Danny a quick call first before texting Mary that he had arrived. Danny picked up fumbling his phone on the second ring. Steve thought that Danny might be baking until he heard Danny’s voice.

“Steeeeeeeeve! Hey, B-babe, it’s g-goood to hear f-fr-from y-you!” 

“Danny!” Danny did not get plastered on a Friday night before he had the kids for the weekend, especially NOT the weekend before Christmas. Steve had a really bad feeling about this. “You’re plastered! How many drinks have you had?!”

“I dunnooooo, Threeee? F-four? I lost count. I th-th-thought I’d have some holiday cheer soooo I maaaade some hot b-buttered rum to go with my cookies!”

“Danny, you are slurring big time, my friend. What’s wrong?” Now, Steve was really, truly worried. At this time of year and with the kids coming later, Danny would have more than his share of holiday cheer and then some.

“Wrong? wrong? Nothing’s wrong now. Just listening to Jon Bon Jovi sing a cover to an Elvis Christmas song.” Danny began singing. It stirred something warm in Steve’s heart. He pretended that Danny was singing to him alone, meaning every word. It nearly made him forget his concern. 

_ If I get home before midnight _

_ When you’re still sleeping tight _

_ I’ll take you in my arms and there you’ll stay _

_ If I get home on Christmas Day _

_ ~ If I Get Home On Christmas Day - Jon Bon Jovi _

Steve shook his head to get focused. Now was not the time to get lost in a fantasy. “What do you mean ‘now’ Danno? Did something happen?”

“Yeah, Steven, something did happen. You jinxed me. Remember when you asked me if I was sure I was going to be okay without you and asked what about the snowstorm and what if...”

“Danny! Is Grace ok? Did the plane crash?!”

“No!!! Calm down, Steve! And you say I’m pessimistic. No, her plane didn't crash. it never got off the ground because she’s snowed-in. The airport closed and the planes are grounded through Monday morning. Hopefully, she’ll be able to fly out then.”

“Whew! I’m glad she’s ok, but I’m really sorry she won’t make it this weekend, Danno. You’ll still have Charlie though.”

“Um, no. He won't be here either. Rachel called and said she had to pick him up from school after lunch because he had a fever. He fell asleep on the way home from school and went straight to bed when he got home.”

“Oh. He must be really sick if he went to bed in the middle of the day,” Steve was getting a very clear picture of why Danny was so thoroughly drunk. Steve was tempted to turn around and fly back home.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not too happy with this chapter. I loved the original idea for the story. I wanted to get it out quick in time for Christmas so I went without my beta. I'm regretting that now. The longer the story becomes and the more rewrites and additions I make just seems to take the steam out of it. It feels stale. Anyhow, I keep listening to the playlist to set the mood. I suggest hearing it out because I can see Danny all over it. I want to see this story through so it doesn't take me seven years or so like another story I have that's still a WIP. 😣
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/16wEWFszxODF9maF1KgyNy?si=uXDgTwkPRBim73AQN6qe1A

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to write this Danny/McDanno story based on my true past and recent experiences. First of all, I went to buy a fresh tree last Saturday. Home Depot was completely out of Christmas trees and Yelp had given bad ratings to the tree lots in our area. I spent a discouraged and frustrating shopping adventure inside Home Depot in search of an artificial tree. It was then that this story was born. My late husband and I got snowed in at a Marriott next door to Brown University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. I believe the nickname, Snowmagedon, was given to this blizzard that hit the Eastern Coast of the U.S. Not knowing what to do with ourselves when snowed in, we asked what there was to do. New York City was a few stops away on the subway.
> 
> So I even made a Spotify playlist called "Danno's Blue Christmas," chocked full of Christmas songs covered by Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Jonathan Bon Jovi and one music group Danny forgot - "The Jersey Boys' aka Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Here is the link:
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/16wEWFszxODF9maF1KgyNy?si=J4CqhNH9RD-BDps_hy-aCg
> 
> I had hoped to post this story as a quick, simple one-shot song fic earlier in the week so fans throughout the world could read it before or on Christmas Day. Sorry, I wasn't successful. It is still Christmas in California USA though .


End file.
